UFO's... What do you think?

[xtn]

With our current means of travel it would take at least one generation of time, maybe two generations to reach the nearest Galaxy that might or might not have an inhabitable planet. We are probably at least one generation, maybe two generations from developing the logistical ability to survive in space long enough to make the trip.

Um... no, and no.

The nearest known galaxy to ours is 25,000 light years away from us. At Voyager speeds, it would take approx seven hundred and fifty MILLION years to get there. Even if we could go the speed of light, it would still take 25,000 years. There is no hope we're ever getting out of the Milky Way without some seriously drastic sci-fi worm-hole stuff.

xtn

 

[RoyJackson]

I'm having some gruesome ideas about the one-way Mars adventure. Like--your corpse is too valuable to jettison into space. I think your final destiny would be a compost pile. Truly "ashes to ashes and dust to dust."

Recycling would be a requirement for an interstellar voyage (with current technologies). That would include urine, feces and whatever else has been consumed and eliminated. Your body has nutrients that could be recycled as well...there's a lot of liquid in a human.

Of course, there's also the possibility of "Dave Burgers" or "Roydogs"...

 

[dave1949]

But Dave, that can't happen. If the U.S. focused the monetary resources required to develop a successful way to escape Earth at the cost of our military budget we would not be the passengers. The passengers would be some thug nation that quietly stood back and waited for the completion date, then stomped out our existence, because we would have no defense system and took our seats.....

I think you missed the humanity and global aspect of those redirected defense resources.

Does it really matter if a colony is established on some far away planet if we take our dispute resolution methods along with us? Remember, we have only had the ability to blow ourselves back into the stone age since the 1950's. And we can do a much better job of that now than then. So far, everyone has been fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. I don't have a clue about whether that situation can last forever.

 

[rekees4300]

Mastering the the fabric of space/time is the ticket...

Bingo! Even traveling at the speed of light isn't fast enough for serious exploration beyond this solar system.

 

[dave1949]

Recycling would be a requirement for an interstellar voyage (with current technologies). That would include urine, feces and whatever else has been consumed and eliminated. Your body has nutrients that could be recycled as well...there's a lot of liquid in a human.

Of course, there's also the possibility of "Dave Burgers" or "Roydogs"...

Absolutely. Maybe cockroaches would be a major source of protein. You can't exterminate the things and they can live on excrement converting that to protein. Gag. Gag. I wanna go :earth:.

 

[MikePA]

There is no way politicians, of any party or generation, would redirect any 'savings' from DoD spending to space flight/exploration. Even President Kennedy got complaints the money spent to go to the moon should have been spent on social welfare programs, anti poverty programs, etc. Politicians will only spend tax dollars, actually much more than what is collected, on those programs that will get them votes and increase their power.

Evil and good exist. Wishing it were not so is naive. Evil cheers when good unilaterally disarms and withdraws.

 

[bcp]

The problem with spending the billions of dollars from the annual space program budget to feed millions of hungry people is that all you get for it a year later is millions of hungry people wanting to be fed again. There has to be a better way.

 

[ovrszd]

Um... no, and no.

The nearest known galaxy to ours is 25,000 light years away from us. At Voyager speeds, it would take approx seven hundred and fifty MILLION years to get there. Even if we could go the speed of light, it would still take 25,000 years. There is no hope we're ever getting out of the Milky Way without some seriously drastic sci-fi worm-hole stuff.

xtn

Then, it's worse than I thought. Somebody better get crackin on this problem cause I don't think we have 750 million years left in us.....

 

[MikePA]

The problem with spending the billions of dollars from the annual space program budget to feed millions of hungry people is that all you get for it a year later is millions of hungry people wanting to be fed again. There has to be a better way.

Agreed. Sadly, the current answer is to print or borrow more money, a simple solution when the primary goals are to get more votes and more power.

 

[CobyRupert]

There is no way politicians, of any party or generation, would redirect any 'savings' from DoD spending to space flight/exploration. Even President Kennedy got complaints the money spent to go to the moon should have been spent on social welfare programs, anti poverty programs, etc. Politicians will only spend tax dollars, actually much more than what is collected, on those programs that will get them votes and increase their power.

Evil and good exist. Wishing it were not so is naive. Evil cheers when good unilaterally disarms and withdraws.

..and look what happened to Kennedy. More likely he got a headache because he didn't ramp up the wars enough and go hot with the Ruskies over Cuba like the Generals and their buddies urged.

 

[CobyRupert]

as far as war being good. It ain't.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Not war itself. It's a matter of priorities; and whether you make war the priority.
The space program is a good example of what happens when the focus is to advance something other than war. It just happen that the evil .01% psychopaths who run the show have a lot invested in the war machine and using that machine to protect/expand their other investments. That's the priority.
If you're saying war is the mother of all advancement, I guess you're saying mankind can only advance with socialism. That is, only government funded R&D (for weaponry/warfare/) advances mankind.

 

[jerrybob]

We should go to the sun........we could go at night so it wouldn't be so hot......

 

[MossRoad]

Brevity is the soul of wit.

:thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

But Dave, that can't happen. If the U.S. focused the monetary resources required to develop a successful way to escape Earth at the cost of our military budget we would not be the passengers. The passengers would be some thug nation that quietly stood back and waited for the completion date, then stomped out our existence, because we would have no defense system and took our seats.....

Let see him argue with that!:thumbsup:

 

[k0ua]

as far as war being good. It ain't.

Necessity is the mother of invention. Not war itself. It's a matter of priorities; and whether you make war the priority.
The space program is a good example of what happens when the focus is to advance something other than war. It just happen that the evil .01% psychopaths who run the show have a lot invested in the war machine and using that machine to protect/expand their other investments. That's the priority.
If you're saying war is the mother of all advancement, I guess you're saying mankind can only advance with socialism. That is, only government funded R&D (for weaponry/warfare/) advances mankind.

All Dave (and I guess you too) are saying is " ♪give peace a chance♫ " (with apologies to John Lennon)

All we are saying is there is nothing quite as motivating to humankind as the threat of having your guts stomped out.

How is that for brevity?:laughing:

 

[MikePA]

..and look what happened to Kennedy. More likely he got a headache because he didn't ramp up the wars enough and go hot with the Ruskies over Cuba like the Generals and their buddies urged.

Ah, yeah. Right. UFOs and Kennedy conspiracy theories in one thread. :shhh:

 

[dave1949]

I think you missed the humanity and global aspect of those redirected defense resources.

Does it really matter if a colony is established on some far away planet if we take our dispute resolution methods along with us? Remember, we have only had the ability to blow ourselves back into the stone age since the 1950's. And we can do a much better job of that now than then. So far, everyone has been fighting with one hand tied behind their backs. I don't have a clue about whether that situation can last forever.

Let see him argue with that!:thumbsup:

I did answer, and it wasn't that brief either. :laughing:

I don't think I underestimate the current propensity for war and the need to be prepared for that. I do think in the long run we are doomed if we cannot alter that reality (transcend our biological natures) for two primary reasons:
1) We could resort to using some pretty terrible weapons that won't leave much or many standing. We could wipe ourselves out. Or, we could survive but in greatly reduced circumstances.

2) We will not have the available resources to spend on interstellar missions unless we can conjure up some sizable peace dividends. There is no money to be made from that mission, so where does the necessary support come from? Without that mission there will be no species "lifeboat" planet that is immune to a disaster that wipes out humans on earth. One good super volcano and you can kiss your tractor goodbye, and of course there a few other natural possibilities that could wipe out humans on earth.

When I say "we" I mean every nation on this planet and I've been consistent about that. "Humanity" is not just the people in the USA, and "global" is not just the space between NYC and LA. I've noticed some people have read my comments as unilateral actions the USA would take.

 

[k0ua]

"we" I mean every nation on this planet and I've been consistent about that. "Humanity" is not just the people in the USA, and "global" is not just the space between NYC and LA.

Just how are we gonna get those folk in the Middle East to focus on an "all mankind" space program?.. They seem more focused on cutting peoples head off. Just saying. :confused3:

 

[RoyJackson]

Just how are we gonna get those folk in the Middle East to focus on an "all mankind" space program?.. They seem more focused on cutting peoples head off. Just saying. :confused3:

Not just the Middle East even if that's the "hot spot" at this point in time.

Frankly, I don't see peoples of Earth combing resource unless there's a unified world government...and it probably wouldn't be the Utopian future some of the airheads dream of...more likely a future version of Third Reich.
The other possibility to bring mankind together would be some world wide threat (with a lot more certainty and credibility then "Global Warming") such as an asteroid of significant size with a high probability of colliding with the Earth.

BTW, anyone seen the flick,"Interstellar", yet?

 

[/pine]

IMO...Monies (billions) could be saved and redirected...monies lost to gov. by fraud etc and unnecessary programs like the ones that hand out free cell phones etc.etc...as well as monies wasted by the DOD etc...

But...I don't think Any redirected funds to NASA/space exploration etc...should be spent (right now) on trying to develop a program/craft (and underlying technologies) specifically to reach other worlds etc...

...Given the ideal that we humans do not wipe our own selves out over the next 100 years or so (keep the faith)...IMO the utmost thought should be given to protecting the planet from "natural things" we are aware of that could destroy us or reek havoc on our lives etc...but we have no current defense against...

It's unfortunate that al gore and his AGW disciples have poisoned the well when it comes to (falsely) alarming the masses...because there are much worse things to realize and truly be alarmed about enough to demand our government protect our infrastructures from natural catastrophes that could come from our own Sun or elsewhere in space...
...We should be utilizing current technology to master inner space and protect our planet before we try to conquer outer space...BTW we have already polluted the space surrounding Earth...maybe some of that redirected money could go to a program/craft that could start cleaning up after ourselves...!

For any approaching advanced alien life...just to get close to earth an alien commanded craft would have navigate through a literal junkyard of debris we've left floating around out there...nice welcome mat huh?...!